Horwath Presses Wynne to Finally Protect All Renters in Ontario

A bill tabled today will close the loophole that has thousands of renters at risk.

The Rent Protection for All Tenants Act was introduced by Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns Monday, and will close the loophole that allows landlords in buildings built later than 1991 to hike rents as much as they want, whenever they want.

“We hear from families that say these increases are chasing them from their homes – the place they’re raising their kids. Some people are seeing rent increases of hundreds of dollars or even $1,000 a month,” said Horwath. “That’s not fair, it doesn’t have to be this way and Wynne Liberals could have done something about this years ago.”

Horwath said if Premier Wynne has been listening to Ontarians, she should support the bill.

“Premier Wynne has had years to correct this loophole that’s leaving millions of Ontarians unprotected,” said Horwath. “Meanwhile, tenants either face massive rent hikes, or the fear that they're next.”

The Tabuns bill will amend the Residential Tenancies Act to include all renters in a rule that caps rent increases to the annual rent increase guidelines – about 1.5 per cent this year. Currently, only tenants of buildings constructed before 1991 have that protection.